2014 Absolutely Gospel Music Awards Celebration Rounds Out List of Performers By Featuring Prominent Songwriters

Nashville, TN (March 27, 2014) The administrators and staff of AbsolutelyGospel.com are proud to announce the final performers for the upcoming Absolutely Gospel Music Awards Celebration. In keeping with the tradition of thinking outside of the box, this year’s AGM Awards will play host to performances from celebrated songwriters.

The Awards Celebration will feature reigning Songwriter of the Year (Artist) Jim Brady along with his wife, AGM Award winning songwriter Melissa Brady. Also, 2013’s Songwriter of the Year (Professional) Sue C. Smith, AGM Award winner Kenna West, and multiple nominee Jason Cox will perform their Song of the Year nominated hit “Calvary’s Cry” (originally recorded by Brian Free & Assurance) during the program.

“We are so excited about recognizing some of the best songwriters in the business in this capacity,” mentioned Deon Unthank, President of AbsolutelyGospel.com. “We were the first awards program in all of Gospel music to split up our Songwriter and Producer of the Year categories to make sure that those songwriters and producers who don’t normally promote themselves to the industry get the recognition they deserve. This was just a natural step in the progression of our awards program.”

Chris Unthank, Editor in Chief of AbsolutelyGospel.com stated, “This has been an idea that has been ruminating in my mind for many years, and I’m so excited that we finally get to see it come to pass. We have always championed the behind the scenes people in this industry, and we can’t wait to showcase them to the general Southern Gospel audience in this manner.”

The performances of Jim & Melissa Brady, and Smith, West and Cox join the already impressive list of performers which include The Isaacs, Tribute Quartet, the Bowling Family, Beyond the Ashes, The Freemans, the Gaither Vocal Band’s Adam Crabb, the Sneed Family, Jeff & Sheri Easter, The Browders, Karen Peck & New River and The Nelons.

The hosts for this year’s Awards Celebration are two of the industry’s most respected and beloved women. Hosting the awards together this year are Karen Peck Gooch and Kelly Nelon Clark.

In addition, the program is returning the multi-artist tribute to a legend in the Gospel music community. This year, the AGM Awards will be honoring the Easter Brothers. The tribute will be hosted by Jeff Easter and feature a bevy of special guests including Bluegrass icons Dailey & Vincent, Jeff and Sheri Easter, The Isaacs, Kelly Nelon Clark, and The Freemans.

The Absolutely Gospel Music Awards will be held at River of Life Church in Smyrna, Tennessee on Tuesday evening, April 15, 2014. The event is free to the public, however the only way to guarantee seating is to reserve seats by making a $10 donation to AbsolutelyGospel.com. For more information on that, visit http://absolutelygospel.com/index.php/content/articles/2014-absolutely-gospel-music-awards-information

The Awards Celebration will stream live again this year. More information will be forthcoming.

For more information, visit www.absolutelygospel.com or email seats@absolutelygospel.com.

CRABB FAMILY TOGETHER AGAIN FOR NEW RECORDING

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—November, 11th, 2011--Gaither Music Group has announced its plans to release an all-new studio recording from the multiple award-winning Crabb Family. Together Again, which coincides with a limited run of national touring dates for the group, will hit the streets on February 7th, 2012. Produced by lead singer and GRAMMY® Award-winning solo artist Jason Crabb, Together Again offers fans new music recorded with a unique vocal approach.
“In the past, when it came time to select songs for a project, part of the process was our deciding who would be featured on what song,” describes Jason. “Basically, we all had ‘our individual songs’ that we took the lead on. With Together Again, the songs aren’t centered around ‘who is singing lead.’ Our vocals are intermingled as never before. I’m especially excited about this, not only for the record, but for this run of concerts.”
Together Again includes three songs written by the award-winning country writer Neil Thrasher (who co-wrote Jason’s solo hit “Somebody Like Me”) in addition to tunes written by such industry pacesetters as their father, Gerald Crabb; Sue C. Smith; Lee Black; David Moffitt; Gina Boe; Don Poythress; Ronnie Freeman; Stephanie Lewis and Caleb Collins. The recording also features two songs co-written by Jason alongside longtime friend Sonya Isaacs Yeary, country tunesmith Jimmy Yeary, as well as Carl Cartee and Barry Weeks.
“One of my favorite songs on the new record is ‘If There Ever Was a Time,’” describes group member Kelly Crabb Bowling.  “When our longtime friend and great songwriter Sue Smith began to quote the lyric from this song, I knew immediately it was a song someone had to record. This song takes me back to my childhood when I would hear people stand up in church and say how much they needed the Lord to be there and to hear and answer their prayers.  This song’s style is a bit more modern than those days, yet it still connects with every emotion I had as a child.” 
“If There Ever Was a Time,” the first radio single from the new release, has just been sent to radio stations nationwide, just in time for the concert tour which began Thursday, November 10, in Huntsville, Ala. The Front Porch: A Crabb Family Celebration Tour will hit over 20 cities nationwide, ending in January in Lexington, NC. (A working list of tour cities can be found below.)
“We’re heading into such a special time of year with the holidays, and I’m so happy that the tour allows me to spend this season with my family,” describes Jason. “We love making great music together, and we hope that people who come out to see the tour will be reminded of just how important spending time together as a family is.” 
Siblings Jason, Adam, Aaron, Kelly and Terah, known as The Crabb Family, took the Christian music industry by storm in the 90s with their signature brand of country-tinged Gospel, live stage band and powerhouse musical arrangements. The Crabb Family took home 11 GMA DOVE Awards, garnered three GRAMMY® nominations and blurred the lines between Christian music genres with recordings and accolades ranging from bluegrass to black Gospel.
Their family blends became a hit on platforms varying from the Gaither HOMECOMING stages and “The Grand Ole Opry” to the Brooklyn Tabernacle and Carnegie Hall. Their downhome appearances, highlighted by songs written by the group’s original founder Gerald Crabb, made them a household name in the southern Gospel music community and a “new favorite” across several genres. Heralded by the industry and fans alike, the group produced numerous Top 10 singles and 16 number one hits.

Together Again will be available digitally and at retail stores everywhere. It will be distributed exclusively by EMI CMG Distribution. For further information regarding The Crabb Family, visit www.thecrabbfamily.com. For updated tour information, connect with Jason Crabb online at www.JasonCrabb.com, www.FB.com/JasonCrabbMusic and on twitter @JasonDCrabb.